


you'll never sink when you are with me

by imfallingforyoureyes102



Series: On the Outside Looking In [13]
Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: Best Friends, Cute Oliver Queen, Eventual Oliver Queen/Felicity Smoak, F/M, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Met Before the Island, Mutual Pining, outside looking in, slight AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-11
Updated: 2020-04-11
Packaged: 2021-03-02 01:22:30
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,805
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23586817
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/imfallingforyoureyes102/pseuds/imfallingforyoureyes102
Summary: “Dance with me.”“You can’t dance, Oliver,” Felicity laughs dismissively, brushing her hands together as she finishes off the last of the crab cake.“Correction,” Oliver says, already pulling Felicity towards him and placing a hand on her waist.“Youcan’t dance. I can. I’ve got the dance lesson photos to prove it.”“Okay, correction,” Felicity repeats Oliver’s words with a snort, relaxing almost immediately against him. “You don’t dance.”“Consider it a service, then,” Oliver says as he sways them both to the rhythm of the music. “Me paying you back for when you fixed my laptop that one time, if you will.”“Definitelynotjust one time, big guy,” Felicity laughs, and Moira feels a tug of appreciation for the small blonde wrapped in her son’s arms.(Or, Oliver and Felicity met and became best friends before the Gambit went down three years ago, and a month after he returns home, the Queens host a gala at the Mansion. Moira's just passing by her son when she catches the playful interaction between the two friends, but it quickly turns to something more when Felicity accidentally lets a certain three words slip).
Relationships: Oliver Queen/Felicity Smoak
Series: On the Outside Looking In [13]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1319063
Comments: 64
Kudos: 490





	you'll never sink when you are with me

**Author's Note:**

> A bit of a "met before the island" AU/take on Moira viewing Olicity. 
> 
> Not much of a back story aside from the fact that Oliver and Felicity met before he got on the Gambit in a very similar fashion - he destroyed a laptop and Felicity was the best one to fix it. They become best friends and are super close when Oliver and Robert board the Gambit and after about 2 or 3 years, he's found again. 
> 
> It's a very shaky foundation, but I had this idea randomly pop into my head and wanted to somehow weave it into this universe, let me know what you think!
> 
> Also, yes, Oliver is a bit of a cheeseball in this.
> 
> (Also, I made a twitter dedicated to writing @imfallingforyo3 if you wanna follow! It's not much, but it's a start!)

Moira stands unmoving at the top of the staircase of the Queen Mansion, eyes shifting over the crowd of chattering voices and swaying bodies below.

Her head tilts slightly as her gaze runs over the silhouette of her son, her eyes snapping back to him almost immediately. Despite him being gone for almost three years, Moira would recognize her boy anywhere.

She descends the staircase slowly, allowing the time it takes to reach the lively atmosphere of the ballroom to quell the emotions that dance dangerously within her.

It’s been just over a month since Oliver was found on an island in the North China Sea. His discovery was just as surprising and as unexpected as his disappearance all those years ago. 

One second here, the next second gone.

One second gone, the next  _ alive. _

The Queen Matriarch pauses for a split second, taking in a staggering breath as she presses her palm against her racing heart. When Robert and Oliver had boarded the Gambit nearly three years ago, she never could have imagined that her fleeting goodbye would be permanent. 

And it hadn’t been - not for Oliver. But the idea that it very well could have been sets her chest on fire.

Moira had loved Robert. She had loved him  _ so _ much despite all of his flaws. And while it still pains her to her core that he will never come back, Moira’s heart had swelled with so much love and gratitude for him when Oliver had told her  _ exactly  _ what Robert had done for their boy.

_ He saved me, Mom. Dad saved my life. _

The wave of anxiety and distress that pulls over Moira is quickly replaced with warmth as she reaches the bottom of the staircase. She takes in the lively atmosphere permeating the air, smiling when she spots Thea chatting animatedly with Tommy Merlyn. Oliver, on the other hand, has moved off to the corner of the room, away from most of the loud voices and mingling patrons. 

It seems to Moira as if almost no time has passed as she watches her son.

He’s leaning against the wall, his head swaying leisurely in time with the soft thrum of music echoing throughout the Manor. There’s a champagne flute held lazily in his hand as his eyes scan the room, and when a small smile flits across his face, Moira traces his gaze all the way to the center of the room.

A soft smile tugs at her lips when she sees a small blonde slink effortlessly through the dancing bodies. A crab cake is held mercilessly in one hand, her other arm positioned out in front of her, bracing against the many bodies that stumble around the room. Moira loses her in the crowd, and it takes more than a few seconds for her to break through, but it’s Oliver’s face that lets Moira know she has because there’s a smile pulling at his mouth that she hasn’t seen in  _ years. _

Felicity Smoak had waltzed into Oliver’s life at the worst possible moment almost five years ago. There had been spilt coffee and witty banter and absolute disbelief at how someone could treat a computer  _ so badly _ . Moira Queen had watched an unlikely friendship blossom between her son and a far too smart IT girl – had watched as Felicity became so instrumental in Oliver’s life that it was rare to see one without the other.

_ Best Friends,  _ Oliver had said. 

_ A source of really good wine,  _ Felicity had jokingly retorted.

And then the Queen’s Gambit went down.

Moira shakes her head, eyes blinking fiercely as she pulls herself back to the present. She looks up in time to see Oliver carefully setting down his glass before reaching forward and snatching Felicity around the waist.

Felicity yelps, twisting suddenly to face Oliver. She reacts instinctively, the hand that grips the crab cake swiping towards his face in defense. 

She’s quick, but Oliver’s quicker. 

He catches her hand with a practiced maneuver, years of muscle memory from having pulled this move a thousand times before taking over, and he leans forward and takes a bite of the small appetizer.

Felicity yanks her hand back with an offended huff, shoving him backwards with her free hand.

“That’s  _ my _ crab cake, you jerk!”

“S’really good,” Oliver smiling cheekily before he grabs at the crab cake again, eyes widening at the last minute as Felicity drives a finger into his chest.

“ _ Mine,  _ Oliver. You said you didn’t want one!”

Oliver’s chest rumbles as he tries to snatch the food from her hand, and Moira feels her heart swell as she takes in a scene she didn’t even know she missed.

“I changed my mind,” he says playfully, his voice so soft Moira barely hears it.

Felicity just stares at him and Oliver lets out a bark of laughter that’s so reminiscent of the times before the island as Felicity all but shoves the rest of the crab cake into her mouth without hesitation.

“S’really sucks for you then, doesn’t it,” she says smugly, her words completely muffled by the food in her mouth. 

Oliver merely raises his eyebrow, and Moira’s about to leave the two friends be, but then Oliver’s tipping his head to the side with a curious expression as he watches Felicity struggle to chew and scowl at him at the same time.

“Dance with me.”

“You can’t dance, Oliver,” Felicity laughs dismissively, brushing her hands together as she finishes off the last of the crab cake.

“Correction,” Oliver says, already pulling Felicity towards him and placing a hand on her waist. “ _ You  _ can’t dance. I can. I’ve got the dance lesson photos to prove it.”

“Okay, correction,” Felicity repeats Oliver’s words with a snort, relaxing almost immediately against him. “You  _ don’t  _ dance.”

“Consider it a service, then,” Oliver says as he sways them both to the rhythm of the music. “Me paying you back for when you fixed my laptop that one time, if you will.”

“Definitely  _ not  _ just one time, big guy,” Felicity laughs, and Moira feels a tug of appreciation for the small blonde wrapped in her son’s arms.

Everyone in Oliver’s life hadn’t known how to treat Oliver when he had returned. Thea wanted her big brother back, Tommy wished for his best friend, Queen Consolidated had needed a CEO. They didn’t know if they should bring up anything to do with boats or islands or even if the Oliver that had gotten on the Gambit was the same as the one that had returned.

But then Felicity had walked in the Manor, days after his return, with teary eyes and shaking hands. She had walked right up to Oliver, placed her palms against his chest, and shoved at him so hard that he had to take a step back to balance himself.

_ Don’t ever disappear like that again,  _ she had bitten out. 

Moira had held her breath then, everyone in the room had. Because in that moment, all the care and caution they had put into treating Oliver – all the ways in which they had tread carefully and warily around him as if he were made of glass – were completely and utterly shattered. 

Felicity had stood firmly in front of him then, tears blurring her eyes, and Oliver had stared right back, his gaze bold and unwavering and insistent. But then Felicity’s lips pulled upward, and the smile that spread across Oliver’s face was only overshadowed by the watery laugh that fell from his lips as he engulfed Felicity in his arms and held her against him almost reverently.

A lot of things had changed since Oliver had gotten on that boat. But that hadn’t.

Moira is once again pulled from her thoughts as a sharp laugh echoes around the room. The music is still flowing through the air, following a lively, cheerful melody, and Oliver is playfully swaying Felicity and himself  _ so  _ off beat that they look absolutely  _ ridiculous. _

But then he twirls them, and the giggle that erupts from Felicity’s chest is so airy and free and Moira knows without a doubt that Oliver will gladly make a fool out of himself for the rest of his life if he can keep that smile on her face. She’s laughing up at him and he’s beaming at her like she holds the universe in her hands and Moira ducks her face to the floor as a knowing smile spreads across her lips.

The song changes, a languid and comfortable beat thrumming throughout the room. Oliver catches Felicity mid-spin and pulls her flush against him, both of them trying to catch their breaths and muffle their giggles as the atmosphere in the room shifts.

Oliver’s chest rises and falls in quick pants as he attempts to quell the laughter that rumbles throughout his body. Felicity’s just as affected, her face bright and flushed, and her eyes snap up to Oliver’s, wide and vibrant and - ,

“I love you.”

Oliver sucks in a breath, his hand unconsciously tightening where it’s placed on Felicity’s waist. Moira’s eyes quickly flash back to the two of them.

“I love you,” Felicity says again, and even though her voice is soft, her tone is much firmer – more insistent. “You don’t – I’m not expecting -,” Felicity takes in a huge breath. “I just – I wanted to say it. I  _ had _ to because life is short and you died once, Oliver. You  _ died _ and I thought that I’d never see you again, so -,”

“I love you too.”

Felicity’s eyes widen and she offers him a weary chuckle, pulling away from him slightly.

“Oliver, you don’t – I’m not expecting you to - ,”

“Hey,” Oliver steps forward, closing the slowly growing gap between them as he gently takes Felicity’s face in his hands. He’s so close enough to her that their noses almost brush, and Felicity holds her breath as she takes in the intensity that radiates from Oliver’s expression.

“ _ I love you _ ,” Oliver says fiercely, his voice trembling slightly with the weight of the words – with the understanding that they are no longer a thought or a desire or a wish.

Felicity bristles against his hold, but Oliver just moves closer, his thumb moving to graze across her cheek.

“I loved you long before the island.” Felicity’s eyes fall shut as Oliver’s voice drops to a whisper. “I never stopped loving you, Felicity. Not for a day, not for an hour, not for a  _ second. _ ”

Her lip quivers as a small lump forms in her throat, and Oliver pulls away slightly, taking in every detail of Felicity’s face.

“When I was on the island,” Oliver starts, and Felicity holds her breath as she watches the man before her open up in a way she’d never thought possible. “There were days where I didn’t think I’d make it to sun set.”

Oliver swallows hard, throat tight, and when he shakes his head slightly, Felicity can see a slight shimmer in his eyes.

“There were days where I didn’t  _ want  _ to make it to sunset,” he admits carefully, almost as if it’s the first time he’s letting  _ himself _ come to terms with the implications of the sentence. His voice is strained and raspy and his eyes are rimmed with red and it shatters Felicity’s heart into a million and one pieces.

“But then I’d think of you,” he continues shakily.

Oliver smiles then, a beautiful, amazed, beatific smile and Felicity’s breath is completely taken away. His lips pull wide and his teeth are on full display and Felicity sees the dimples she thought she’d never ever  _ ever _ see again, and when a small tear falls from his eye, it’s Felicity’s thumb that gently brushes it away. 

Oliver catches her hand, holding it firm against his face, and he turns into her, nuzzling his nose against her palm.

“I’d think of you,” he continues. “Of your smile, of your laugh, of your insane rants, and beauty and  _ brains _ .”

Felicity lets out a watery chuckle.

“You saved my job the day I walked into your office,” Oliver says softly, a trace of humor in his words as they both recall a fried laptop and a spilt latte and the impending fury of a certain Robert Queen if the newest financial projections were lost.

“But Felicity,” Oliver pauses, swallowing hard, his hand gripping hers tightly as she allows her thumb to graze against his cheekbone. “You saved my life  _ every single day  _ since. I don’t think you understand just how much I mean it when I say that, and a part of me hopes you never have to,” he whispers fiercely, memories from the island and Russia and China spiraling around like a tumultuous tsunami in his head. “Every time I was close to death, every time I felt like I was losing my humanity or falling or sinking, you pulled me right back up.”

An amazed smile spreads over Oliver’s features as he runs his thumb along her jawline.

“You’re my dead sea,” he says with quiet amusement, as if he is sharing a joke only meant for her ears. Felicity’s eyebrows furrow and she tilts her head in question. His smile widens. “I’ll never sink when you are with me.”

Warmth floods Felicity’s body as Oliver leans in and presses his lips against her forehead, his next words muffled against her skin. “And you were  _ always  _ with me.”

“You’re such a cheeseball,” Felicity tries to tease, but her small laugh comes out sounding more like a strangled whimper and she buries her face against his chest. Oliver lingers for a moment, and Felicity is overwhelmed with the feeling of finally knowing what it’s like to come home.

“That Chinese freighter rescued me from the island,” Oliver says as he pulls back, carefully reaching his hands up to cradle Felicity’s face in his palms again.

“But you,” Oliver says softly, his voice so tight with emotion it comes out as barely a whisper as he drops his forehead against hers. “ _ You -  _ my best friend, my partner, my fiery, insistent,  _ sweet _ Felicity - you brought me home.”

The tears in Felicity’s eyes spill over as she takes in the sincerity of Oliver’s words, and Moira has to press her own palm to her mouth to keep the small sob from slipping through.

Felicity’s lips press tightly together as she struggles to find words – to find anything – to ground her to this moment, but then Oliver’s talking again and her heart is filled with pure light.

“So yes, I love you too,” he says with finality, his voice bold and unwavering. “I love you, I love you, I love  _ you - ,” _

Felicity moves forward without thinking, rising on her toes as she presses her lips firmly against Oliver’s. His words muffle, and for a second she freezes, but then a whimper so soft and pained escapes from Oliver’s throat and he's winding his arms around her, bracketing her against him so tightly she swears she can feel every beat of his heart.

His mouth slants over hers, softer and gentler than she could have ever imagined, and he’s kissing her back, winding his fingers through her hair, running his hands down the span of her back, pulling her so far into him that she doesn’t know where she ends and he begins.

Felicity can taste the remnants of champagne on his lips, can feel the heat of his breath against her skin as a small chuckle rumbles through his chest. His body is warm and firm under her palms and suddenly the feeling of Oliver against her – the feeling of his heart thumping widely against her chest, alive and whole and  _ home -  _ washes over her like a tsunami tide against the shore and something inside of her fractures.

She whimpers, craving to be near him –  _ needing  _ to be as close to him as possible – and then the edges of his mouth tug upward, and Felicity can feel his smile against her lips.

Felicity smiles too, laughter bubbling in her chest as Oliver firmly presses  _ one _ ,  _ two _ ,  _ three  _ more kisses against her mouth before pulling away.

His cheeks are flushed and there are remnants of her lipstick on his face and Felicity thinks he’s the most beautiful thing she’s ever seen.

“Felicity,” Oliver breathes, his voice low and raspy. He sucks in a breath, his eyes twinkling as his fingers gently brush away at a stray blonde curl. “Would you like to go out to dinner with me?”

Felicity beams.

Moira has her own smile dancing across her face as she turns away with a happiness that she hasn’t felt in a long,  _ long  _ time flooding every vein in her body. She doesn’t need to see Felicity to know the answer to Oliver’s question.

The chimelike laughter that filters throughout the room like sunlight is more than enough.

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know what you think!
> 
> Sorry if it doesn't follow right or if it's kinda weird, I know this isn't in the normal "universe" that I write in!
> 
> Also, I made a twitter! If you want, you can follow me @imfallingforyo3 
> 
> Love you all, and hope you are all safe and healthy!


End file.
